Petrarch, Secretum 4.12 (Augustine speaking)
“Insulting other people is by far a more importunate type of arrogance than elevating yourself beyond your merits; I would have much preferred that you talked everyone else up (though you placed yourself ahead of them) than that you arrogantly took up the shield of humility after stomping everyone under your heel.”
Multo quidem importunius superbie genus est alios deprimere quam se ipsum debito magis attollere; longeque maluissem ceteros magnificares, te quanquam ceteris anteferres, quam calcatis omnibus ex alieno superbissime tibi clipeum humilitatis assumeres.
